Reconstruction of UMaine bike paths set for summer

A cyclist rides on a section of the University of Maine bicycle paths on Tuesday. Starting on May 31, there will be phased closures on various stretches of the path to allow for major reconstruction of the 34-year-old path. The repairs will take approximately 11 weeks to complete.

ORONO, Maine — The University of Maine bicycle paths will close temporarily to allow for major reconstruction for approximately 11 weeks beginning May 31 through the summer.

It will be the first reconstruction of the paths since they were completed in 1976, according to a University of Maine press release.

The areas of phased closures include all paved path areas from the campus to Witter Farm Road, Stillwater Avenue and Jefferson Street in Old Town. The phased closures will be organized into three sections, with individual sections each closed for three to five weeks.

During each closure period, one section of the bike path will be closed to all pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Signs will designate path sections where detours are available.

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Members of the UMaine campus and surrounding communities are asked for safety reasons to respect posted signs and not use or enter any part of the bike path marked as closed.

The phased closures from first to last are:

• Gannett Road to Witter Farm Road, with a pedestrian-bike detour on Crossover Road to maintain access from Jefferson Street to campus.

• Witter Farm Road to the railroad bed section and railroad bed section from Stillwater Avenue, including the parking lot, to the bunker road, providing a pedestrian-bike detour on the gravel Farm Road through the farm to maintain access from Jefferson Street to campus.

• The railroad bed section from the bunker road to Jefferson Street, with no detour from Jefferson Street, but with access maintained from the Stillwater Avenue parking lot to campus.